Life, 1914-03-19 · page 15 of 44
Life — March 19, 1914 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes the "New Woman's Movement" of the early 20th century, mocking women's liberation and progressive activism as fashionable fads that entrap entire families. **The Main Scene:** Jack arrives home to find his family—particularly his mother and sister Bessie—absorbed in mystical "new woman" movements. They cycle through trendy causes: "cycles" (likely women's suffrage/independence), philosophy, art schools, and spiritual vibrations guided by a "Swami." Jack, horrified, escapes to the ranch. His mother and sister, interpreting this as a "divine call," insist on joining him—entirely missing his point. **The Satire:** The humor targets how women adopt progressive causes uncritically and superficially, treating serious movements as social games. The father's secret wink suggests male complicity in tolerating women's "foolishness." Jack's exasperation represents the satirist's view that these movements are absurd impositions on rational family life. **"By Proxy" cartoon:** Mocks wealthy women who claim femininity while outsourcing motherhood to hired nurses—highlighting perceived hypocrisy in progressive women's claims of independence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TOUGH ON A MAN family, and for other reasons, acquiesces in everything his wife and daughter do, so long as it doesn’t actually interfere with his own material plans): Yes, yes, how sad! (Winks secretly at Jack.) Bessie: Mother! It is time! We must follow those instructions, The Swami was quite particular. Mrs. Mattay: Oh, Jack, will you excuse me for just a few moments? We will be back shortly. (They vanish upstairs.) Matrsy: Oh, my boy, this is simply nothing. Just wait till you've been here a week or so, and the thing actually begins to get on your nerves. First, it’s cycles, then it's throwing bombs, then it’s the new higher twaddle, a school of art, a brand-new stock of vibrations, a color scheme applied to the auric envelope, a system of phi- losophy, and—God knows what! Jack: I get you. A fellow was tell- ing me something about it on the train. 1 didn’t suppose it was so close to home.. I thought it was some other women—just small groups of old girls in our big cities who had nothing bet- ter to do than work off their feelings. Father! Mattay (gloomily): Well, son? Jack: Here is the difference be- tween you and me. I am more than sorry for you because you have to WHO'S IN TRAINING stay—but I don’t. I've seen enough! I'm going back to the ranch, Mattsy: Back? Where? Jack: No new woman's movement for me! Me for the woods again. I'll start to-morrow. (At this instant his mother and sister suddenly reappear, having done their orisons.) Bessie (rapturously): Mother, did you hear Jack? He's going back—to the woods—to the free, untrammeled woods, where one can walk barefoot on the earth without drawing a crowd— Heavenly! “DEAR MRS, GRASS, I'M REALLY OLD THO’ YOUNG IN YEARS.” ~ 495 Mrs. Matty: Jack! I feel that you do right not to It is the free life of impulse that we must all lead. Besste (still intent): Mother! Did you hear Jack? Do you not see the significance of his coming at this in- stant—it is a divine call for us. Come, get ready! Remember t we must put into action every vibration that comes, Jack, mother and I will go back with you! Think! Close to nature! Mrs. ready. Matray (inspired): Tam We'll start at once. We must, as you say, obey our every feeling. Jack (alarmed): But—— Bessie: We start to-morrow. will be our guid Jack (paralyzed): But you wouldn't like it, I assure you. I Bess: Maltby in the background grins trium- phantly at his son): It is our duty Remember, Jack, it is the only thing that we haven't yet tried Jack (making for the door) Good-bye! You'll never Poor old dad! I'm sorry for you. Me for the backwoods, forever! (Vanishes.) You & (embracing her mother while TLL. M. Meve: of fashion, Beatrix : dren? Maup: to do it. By Proxy Caroline is a great woman Does she neglect her chil- Oh, no! She hires nurses “DEAR MISS POLLY, I'M REALLY ONLY A BOY IN FEELING.”